Fritillary, Bath Golf Course quarry

Simon C · Post by **Simon C** » Tue May 29, 2007 11:55 am

Just got back from the old quarry adjacent to Bath Golf course. Saw a fritillary, on three separate occasions. Probably the same individual. Flew past me twice, and once seen settled about 20ft away down the butterfly slope. As best I could see, markings were similar to Small Pearl-Bordered Frit I saw on Saturday at Crook Peak, but fresher/deeper orange, and in flight it seemed less delicate. Definitely a new species for the site for me, but I only wish I knew for sure which

Could be a release, I suppose - I don't know of any other May/June Frit sites in the vicinity.

Lots of Common Blues and Small Heaths around.

Simon

Matsukaze · Post by **Matsukaze** » Tue May 29, 2007 5:21 pm

Marsh Fritillary was seen there in May 2005 - a photo was on BRERC's website for a while. It could have been a release, or a wanderer from Wiltshire.

Simon C · Post by **Simon C** » Wed May 30, 2007 2:44 pm

Hi Matsukaze,

Certainly not a MF yesterday. Too big, wrong markings, and flew too high.

Simon

Matsukaze · Post by **Matsukaze** » Thu May 31, 2007 3:06 pm

Hi Simon,

Could it be Dark Green Fritillary? This has been reported from Devon in the last week or so, and unlike the pearl-bordereds has been recorded from the Bath area in the last few years.

First Meadow Brown of the year today, in a field behind Folly Farm reserve.